The Strange Death of Silas Deane
Sept. 9 2013
So What? The Strange Death of Silas Deane In the late 1700s, the case of Silas Deane’s death was as good as solved and put to rest. His depression weakened his body enough, to lead him to illness and an inevitable death. Despite the lack of evidence that led to this conclusion, people were at ease with it so there were no reasons to further officially investigate his case. There were, of course, speculations from the skeptics of the age. Perhaps his death were self-inflicted or it were sabotage? The rumors, however, died down over time along with the memory of the unfortunate Silas Deane. Maybe, one can’t help but think, if those same doubtful individuals reopened his case and looked into the facts, along with his life at the time, they would discover that the conclusion in the papers doesn’t add up quite right. The case of Silas Deane’s death is a very curious one. One thing is for sure: that he was immensely ill before he died. But what made him sick? The theory of his depression, which even ties in with possible suicide, seems like a solid one when observed at surface level. Silas Deane, just prior to making his journey back to the United States, found himself caught in a predicament where he was ostracized by the U.S, England and France, so he fled to Flanders. During his time away from the states, Silas Deane remained isolated for a while and lost all his money. It’s safe to say that could cause a spiraling depression for anyone. However, if any research were done into his state of being at the time of his return to America, it would become apparent that he had turned his life around and was eager to redeem his reputation. All thanks to his good friend, Edward Bancroft. Bancroft was a highly respected doctor and politician in both England and the New World. He was also Silas Deane’s only friend and agreed to help him get back on his feet by using his connections to set up a trade of arms to the U.S. The problem there was that
So What? The Strange Death of Silas Deane In the late 1700s, the case of Silas Deane’s death was as good as solved and put to rest. His depression weakened his body enough, to lead him to illness and an inevitable death. Despite the lack of evidence that led to this conclusion, people were at ease with it so there were no reasons to further officially investigate his case. There were, of course, speculations from the skeptics of the age. Perhaps his death were self-inflicted or it were sabotage? The rumors, however, died down over time along with the memory of the unfortunate Silas Deane. Maybe, one can’t help but think, if those same doubtful individuals reopened his case and looked into the facts, along with his life at the time, they would discover that the conclusion in the papers doesn’t add up quite right. The case of Silas Deane’s death is a very curious one. One thing is for sure: that he was immensely ill before he died. But what made him sick? The theory of his depression, which even ties in with possible suicide, seems like a solid one when observed at surface level. Silas Deane, just prior to making his journey back to the United States, found himself caught in a predicament where he was ostracized by the U.S, England and France, so he fled to Flanders. During his time away from the states, Silas Deane remained isolated for a while and lost all his money. It’s safe to say that could cause a spiraling depression for anyone. However, if any research were done into his state of being at the time of his return to America, it would become apparent that he had turned his life around and was eager to redeem his reputation. All thanks to his good friend, Edward Bancroft. Bancroft was a highly respected doctor and politician in both England and the New World. He was also Silas Deane’s only friend and agreed to help him get back on his feet by using his connections to set up a trade of arms to the U.S. The problem there was that